Tag Archives: SPF

After so many iterations around the sun on our beautiful planet, thirty – if you want to get technical, I’ve begun to tell the changes in the season by the way my body acts and reacts to the world around me. Slight aches in my knees and ankles in the morning happen more frequently as Fall ebbs into Winter, while my nails feel like they chip more frequently as Spring flows though to Summer. Not to mention, my skin gets put through the wringer at the shift of each season, and even more if I’m not careful. The thing about skin, is it’s your biggest organ and you’ve only got the one, weather and seasons and the great outdoors are always going to be a factor, as is your diet, nicotine and alcohol consumption (I’m looking at you, college me). Now that I’ve entered my thirties, I’ve been a lot kinder to my skin on purpose – making sure to treat my body like the temple that it is.

A swimmer since I was a little one, I would jump in the pool year round – playing around for hours on end without sunscreen and burn once every few years. I always reached a nice golden brown while my hair faded from brunette to blonde with every dip into the chlorine and back into the sunshowers.Needless to say, I’ve been a bit lackadaisical with my skin care until pretty recently. Back when Winter was kicking itself into full gear, which is not so coincidentally when my birthday hits, I took one long look at the expression lines on my forehead that have etched a permanent place on my body since childhood and the awkwardly ashy cracks in my joints and made a mad dash for the skin care aisle. Just think – if everything worked out well with hydrating your Winter skin during the blustery cold dry spells, then give back into the urge to treat yo’ face and body and lotion up because it’s going to be a hot Summer. When the heat comes, like it literally just did this past weekend to Los Angeles, it takes, takes and takes from your body: zapping skin, pulling moisture out of your hair and leaving lips feeling chapped and sad.

Hydration is a Major Key

Back in winter it was about hydrating your face – which is still valid, but lets take this a step further because as my significant other always reminds me: hydration is the key to a long and successful weekend. When you’re out and about, prancing at the beach, sunning by the pool or simply enjoying some sunshine infused shenanigans – the Sun is busy draining your body of energy and water, as your body fights to not overheat. Ever had heatstroke, heat exhaustion or saw someone suffering from it? It’s the exact opposite of a good time and incredibly hard on your internal organs, your cardiovascular system and – your skin. It’s simply just as important to take care of your body from the heat on the inside as much as we do from the outside.

Water is your friend – but drinks with electrolytes like coconut water, smart water, juices and sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade come jam packed with nutrients that replenish your body. You’ve heard of preloading for festivals? Well, you can preload for anything – including extreme heat. And sometimes, water alone isn’t enough. Before you bounce out on your adventures this Summer, make sure you drink at least a liter before you step out the door and come prepared with 1L bottle of water or Gatorade for every two hours you plan on being outside. You might think it’s overkill, but your body – and your friends that forgot their water – will thank you later.

Protect Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Now that we’ve taken care of the internal body, let’s tackle what the sun is hitting directly: Your lips, skin and even your hair are all susceptible to sun damage, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and take some extra precautions. First things first, SPF. Those little letters stand for your Sun Protection Factor, which can range from nearly none at all, a 2-5 exists in some tanning lotions, to a ridiculous high of 80. Now, do you need an SPF of 80? Absolutely not. But if it helps you feel better, go for it. As it turns out, SPF 15 blocks 94% of the rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97%, in contrast -SPF 45 only blocks 98%.

When the sun is out in full force, it sends UVA and UVB light waves down – sunscreens only block out the UVB rays, and some are far more effective than others.Products within sunscreen have shifted dramatically over time, especially with research on skin cancer and melanoma, but it’s still smart to check that your sunscreen is rid of PABAs. That said, be on the lookout for “physical sunscreens” that contain zinc oxide and titanium oxide – the two compounds reflect light off of the skin instead of filtering the light that hits the skin. Physical sunscreens are only effective up until an SPF of around 50 – which is pretty perfect, since above 50 doesn’t change it’s effectiveness.

For skincare, my personal favorite is actually gift bag swag from Blue Medi Spa: Fenix Hydrating Sunscreen in SPF 30. I swear by it daily and highly suggest you go grab yourself some ASAP. If you’re looking for something more generic, I’m also a huge fan of Hawaiian Tropic’s Sport Lotion Sunsreen in SPF 30 – because you can bounce from the ocean to the volleyball court and back to your towel without sunscreen smears and streaky sweat. Not to mention, it smells delightful! Kiss your chapped, lips goodbye and dive into some lusciously tasty lip balms. Make sure you snag the ones that have some SPF in them like Chapstick brand. Their lip balms range from SPF 12 up to SPF 25 and SPF 50+. And don’t forget about your hair – especially if you’ve invested a lot in the color! I haven’t dyed my hair in over a decade, but when I did – the color would fade so fast in the Summer months. Enter Oscar Blandi’s Capri Sun Shield Spray – it’s so good, that I spent 20 minutes hunting down a link because I thought it was discontinued, but no – just only available in obscure online stores. But hey – at least it’s available!

With your after sun care, Aloe Vera shouldn’t just be a want this Summer, it’s a necessity; one luxurious soak in it after a long day at the beach and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. There’s some great creme after sun lotions out there to use as substitutes to the pure gel like Alba’s Very Emolient After Sun Lotion which comes with 85% Aloe , but baby – ain’t nothing like the real thing and Trader Joe’s has a great one for an incredibly affordable price (though, as a warning – it definitely has a smell, which I now associate with feeling cool as a cucumber).

Think your skin care game is lacking but you’re not sure why? This might sound a little silly – but hear me out: if you have the cash to buy yourself a random Martini on a Tuesday night, then you can definitely treat yourself to a $10 IPSY or Birchbox Subscription. The boxes come monthly and you can cancel at any time; with each delivery, you get to dive into a package of skin care samples and goodies with highly sought after trial sizes and even a full sized product or two. The last few months, they’ve both been killin’ the skin care game and I’ve discovered some new favorite products to add to my daily routine. Among them, I’ve fallen head over heals for the Coola Classic Sport Face Sunscreen from Birchbox and HeyHoney’s 24seven moisturizing creme from my last IPSY Bag – it feels like you’re soaking in creme.

What are some of your Summer skincare secrets? Let me know in the comments below!

Whether it’s an extra dose of lotion for brittle, dry Winter skin, a pleasant Autumn aroma or some sexy Summer shades – if you’re a self professed ‘Bag Bunny’ like myself, the contents of your purse change more frequently than the weather in Los Angeles. Now that Springtime in the city of Angels has sprung to life with extra bounce in her step, I thought it was time for a little satchel-switch.

For the last year or so, I’ve been attached at the shoulder to my beloved, yet bulgy, cheetah print purse. At any moment, it could contain up to 10 elusive tubes of chapstick and or lip gloss, my eyeglasses case, a pair of sunglasses, three lighters – two of which probably don’t even work, scratch paper, maybe there’s a pen but it’s probably almost out of ink, a cell phone charger and on a good day – a small bottle of whiskey.

I wouldn’t call it a ‘problem‘ per-say – but whenever I migrate to a new purse, regardless of size – I always manage to fill it to the brim with a random assortment of semi-important items. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I want to downsize what I carry on me; I want the freedom of movement so I can play as I please, and I don’t want to be sweating buckets while lugging around a bag of things I might not need. So, I’m putting my old purse in hibernation until Fall rolls around and I’m trading up for a simple Springtime satchel that’s perfect for my prized possessions.

The real draw of this great beach bag, is that there’s only one pouch – so you don’t have to dump everything out like a madwoman as you look for your (fill in the blank): mascara, camera, keys, etc. As with all things in life though, there’s a catch to switching up your purse – chances are, you’re like me and your purse life expands and contracts at an equivalent rate to the size of the bag. This means it’s time to do some spring cleaning, clutch style! First things first, there’s the essentials: ID, Credit Card, Cell Phone, Keys. After taking a long, hard look at what else I’d been stashing in my bag for the last few months I managed to pair down my possessions into a nice little 10 item pile that’s equally perfect for a beach day with your friends, an afternoon in the park with your BFF or a lazy Sunday with your significant other.

10 Springtime Purse Picks
(Clockwise from the Top)

[Digital Camera with Durable Case: Canon PowerShot 310] When you’re with good company, there’s little to no use for your cell phone – because, let’s get real: why give into social media when you’re in an actual social situation? Cameras on cell phones have become just as good, if not better, than most digi cams and I’ll be the first to argue the “merits” of a Yelp check-in, or why I like being able to use the geolocation feature on Instagram (*cough* nerd *cough*). But, when trying to capture a moment becomes more important than being present in it – you need to check yourself; I can say this, because I did. I love taking pictures, so instead of busting out my phone and deciding on a filter, I take them on my Canon and edit them on my computer using iPhoto or GIMP and they turn out somuch better!

[Lip Balm: EOS in Summer Fruit, $3.29 + S/H online] I’m literally obsessed with everything about EOS lip balm! From the easy to find shape, hot pink color and the yummy flavor, this is a must.

[Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, $18 at Sephora]When it comes to makeup, a lot of girls forget that the point isn’t to mask what makes them unique, it’s to let their real beauty shine through. Warmer weather means sunkissed skin, and in my opinion: the more natural color you have – the less makeup you actually need (unless you want to look like a clown). Just a simple swipe of liquid liner with that glow and you’re good to go.

[Mini Perfume] Hot days can turn into sweaty days in a heartbeat, and there’s nothing quite as awkward as smelling yourself for the rest of the night so make sure you have a small perfume in your purse that you can dab on at your leisure. Trust me when I say, your friends will appreciate it as much as you do.

[Fun Read] Everyone’s taste in literature is different, but the important thing is you have an appetite for books – even if you don’t get to indulge as often as you’d like. Right now, I’m in the middle of ‘The Agile Gene’ by Matt Ridley but next up is something I’ve been craving for a while – The Joyous Cosmology by Alan Watts.

[Sunglasses] There’s two types of weather in the Summer – “squinty cloud weather”, where it’s overcast but you still actually need to wear sunglasses, and blindingly bright sunlight. Either way you spin it, you’ll want some shades – so head to your local Thrift Shop and find a pair for under $30. I had to face facts long ago that sunglasses get broken all the time, so you may as well invest in a cheaper variety; there out there, you just have to look!

[Travel Size Sunblock, SPF 30+] What I said about your eyes, goes doubly true for your skin – make sure you get some SPF on your face and shoulders, or you could be peeling instead of pool partying this Summer.

[Lighter] Candles, incense, cigarettes (gasp!), herb (it’s legal in California…), hookah coals, getting the fuzzies off your socks, etc – there’s always a good use for a lighter. Even for those non-smokers out there, if you’re party privvy – you’ll know that a lighter is also a great conversation starter.

and 10. [Notebook + Pen] As a writer and expert list maker, I’ve been known to frantically search for scratch paper and then subsequently lose it. Now that I have a notepad and a pen in the mix, I can get my doodle on, craft a shopping list or even get my next blog post ready. Plus, you never know when you’ll want to jot down some important info!

Last, but certainly not least – when the weather gets above 80, you have to be ready for the inevitable, and the only thing that I think is better than festival season: pool party season! At any given moment, you could get a call to a hotel pool party filled with friends you haven’t met yet or a small apartment pool kickback with your closest friends – and based on my personal experience, not only will you want a swimsuit you feel great in, but you’ll want options, for style and color. The two piece on the right from Sofia has the right amount of color pop and the right amount of coverage for me to bounce around with confidence where ever I roam. EDC, Las Vegas, Lightning in a Bottle, The Standard Hotel; you name it, it’s been there. And I’ve gotta admit, I’ve never been big on one piece swimsuits, but I’m basically obsessed with the cut and color of the suit on the left from Victoria’s Secret and I can’t wait to wear it!

To send you off, a new mix from my favorite Tropical house producer – Thomas Jack: